Moonlight
by SilverCrystal029
Summary: When a familiar face is thrown into the same cell at an anti-mutant research lab as Gambit, he finds a new reason to fight and survive. Can they?
1. Chapter 1

Thirty two days. At least, by Remy's calculations (and there was room for error), he had been imprisoned for thirty two days. Just over a month. A month of his life sacrificed for mutant experimentation. The irony. He had been working on an assignement for a slimy mutant. He was Dr. Nathaniel Essex, otherwise known as Mr. Sinister. And he was in the market for some diaries.

It didn't matter now, he was going to die there. On some speck near Alberta in Canada. He hated the cold. He hated the north. He hated the wilderness. He couldn't think of a less fitting way to die. This was some layer of hell for him. He was not a wholesome man, but he didn't think he'd done anything to deserve _this._ On good days, the doctors left you alone.

They had taken his weapons, but left him with his own clothes. He saw not everyone there was so lucky. The mutant suppressant collar kept him from charging items of it. He had only had one field day of experimentation, being fed slop twice a day in-between. But the needles, the medicine, the carving had been so extreme, Remy was happy to be right there.

He was starting to figure they found some more interesting mutants to work on. He had a great power, interesting certainly. But the cajun had nothing on mutants who controlled the weather, who could _read minds_... He said a mental prayer for them.

But on the thirty second day, something changed. He had been forcing himself to sleep, unaware of what time of day it actually was. They opened his cage and his heart dropped. He wasn't sure if he'd survive another day with the doctors. But he saw they had someone else. Another mutant._ 'I gotta deal wit a damn cell buddy?_' He thought, feeling the last shred of his dignity go.

He was musty, filthy, hadn't showered properly in about two weeks (since they took him out to poke and proud) and just generally was not at his best. Vain, yes, but on brand for the playboy. His cares were silenced when he saw the girl, one he was afraid he could recognize. Brassy, auburn hair was wavy (probably from the girl sweating from stress) silvery bangs clinging to her face.

She was limp like a cooked spaghetti noodle in their arms, clearly not conscious. He hadn't spared a single, caring thought to anyone while he was locked away. But a deep concern blossomed in his gut as they tossed the girl haphazardly in his cell. She landed with a sickening smack, right on her face. She didn't move. She barely looked like she was breathing as they shut his cage, leaving her for dead.

Remy cleared his throat in discomfort. How long had it been since their impromptu trip down south? He didn't know, his sense of time was hard to track. He ached for warmer times, times near their homes. Maybe even together, beneath the girl's tough exterior was the great potential for fun. Maybe even a good friendship. But that would require her to survive the experiments. Rogue was one of those mutants he figured scientists couldn't wait to get their hands on.

Her X-Men uniform hung off her in tatters, the midsection missing and most of the legs. The arms were missing as well, leaving way more of her milky skin open than normal. In better circumstances, he might've admired it. But he found the sight jarring, disturbing. She wasn't in control of herself, and she'd _never_ choose to look this way. He noted the collar around her neck as well, and noted that he _could_ touch her.

He stayed, his back pressed against the corner. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable, anymore scared than she already would be. But he began to become concerned when she laid still, her face turned away and pressed against the cold, concrete floor. "Gettin' ya beauty sleep?" Silence. He cleared his throat, trying to feign indifference. He had seen what the doctor's had at their disposal, and he had seen other mutants die in their cells. Tossed in bags to be incinerated.

He squirmed, his own train of thought making him uncomfortable. "Y-Ya okay,_ chére_?" He called out into the darkness of the cell. Nothing. Not a movement. Not a sound. Sighing, he leaned up and stretched muscles and bones he hadn't used in weeks. He leaned over her and squinted, feeling a little bit better when he could discern she was breathing. Just likely exhausted, like the rest of them. He leaned back, studying her near still form close.

An hour or two later, the quiet had almost lulled him to sleep. That's when he heard it, an unholy sound right beside him.

He jumped, feeling like his heart would give out from the fright. Something was slamming, banging in his cell. _'Who-'_ When his eyes adjusted, he saw it was Rogue. She was thrashing and twisting terribly, the sounds making him nauseous. Her head was twisted at an impossible angle and she wouldn't stop making a horrible gagging sound._ 'I-Is she in pain?'_ When he leaned closer he cursed to himself, slipping painfully out of his trench coat to place around her. She was having a seizure.

He didn't feel much of anything as he sat there, waiting each day for his death. Each terror filled day blended into the next, his fate slowly accepted. But now, his insides burned with fire. A rage at seeing how they'd broken and bent the girl for just existing. She inhaled, gagging as the convulsions wracked her body. As the shakes continued she began to whimper, making the man's stomach hurt. Remy had never been a part of a_ real_ team before, he did not have any rigorous first aid training. But he responded naturally, urgently, or he'd be rooming with a corpse.

He held her chin down, doing his best to minimize the damage she did to herself as she kicked. He only grew more worried when she grew still and silent after a moment. She laid, draped over him. Exhausted. For a moment, he was convinced her heart had given out. He looked down at her until her breaths shuddered out loud and hard, like a panting bull. He slipped his hand behind her head like she was a new born child, watching carefully as her breaths slowed.

It was the first time in a long time he found himself caring about something, something other than himself. Proof that he _could._ That he didn't have to be the man he'd been.

"Good_, chére._ Good job. Y'tough." He mused, even though he was certain she couldn't hear. He tried not to look scared in case she came to. She was out again, as quickly as the shakes had come. He hoped that'd be the last of it. But as he pulled her tighter, he was sure that wouldn't be the case. He looked down as her brow was furrowed, dreams plaguing her. It was barely at all since she was left so weak, but she burrowed as close to Remy as she could, seeking warmth. His eyes dark, he curled around her.

That was the beginning of his promise to protect her.


	2. Chapter 2

In two days, she woke up for the first time. She scared Remy many more times before then. Convinced him that she was but a beautiful, tragic corpse. Left there to haunt him. Punish him for his sins. He couldn't get her to eat or drink. To rouse. At times, he was convinced her heart wasn't beating. That she'd stopped breathing when he dozed off on accident. In his dreams, she died long ago. But after two days of wondering. Hoping. _Praying._ Praying she opened her eyes. Cloudy, unfocused, grey eyes that tried to see him. She huffed and it turned into a cough. She sputtered, trying to move.

He frowned at her, his fingers playing gently in her hair. _"Easy,_" He cooed. She twitched, feeling something draped over her._ 'Jacket,_' She thought, her head buzzing. Aching. She tried to turn her head, but there was a sharp, shooting pain in her neck. "I'said _easy_." He gripped her a little tighter so she didn't hurt herself. "Y'been out two days." She'd recognize that outrageous accent anywhere.

_"Mmmmmmm_," She tried to force herself to say words, any word, but it was too hard. He rubbed her shoulder reassuringly, and even weirder, she was glad he did.

"Don' try an' speak. Not strong enough yet." He gently raised her into a sitting up position and she whimpered. "Ah know. Remy gotta get you to _eat._" Even if her mouth couldn't say it, her eyes were asking 'why'._ 'Because ya can't help yaself,_' He thought, deciding not to speak up. "Remy saved what he could for ya, ate what couldn't. Dey bring ya better food. But, t'ink ya need water most." He held the full cup of saved, clean water to her lips.

It was some of his share, too. He was worried about the girl becoming dehydrated. Letting her face communicate thanks, she sipped, coughing a lot when she drank too much. The New Orleans native smiled, glad to see her fighting. Desperate for sustenance. Those few days hoping she wasn't dead had been awful. Now, he had an ally. A way out. A reason to hang on. Eventually, she was able to control her shaking and breathing enough to sip the water, feeling rejuvenated after a while.

Then, she worked on buttered bread. Remy was amazed to see the color (what color she had, anyway) return to her skin, a little light in her eyes. She looked like a different person with no makeup, wavy hair, and less of her uniform on. But that was neither here, nor there. Still wrapped in his jacket as though her powers were active, she leaned against him.

They sat in silence for hours. The first words Rogue spoke were, "Thank you."

* * *

Three days after that, they came for Remy. Rogue still looked weak. Battered. The bruises from the doctor's abuse were fading into dark blue and yellow. She still trembled mostly and found herself very weak. But she flew to her feet swinging for the attendees who came for him. They tased her, tackling her back into the cell with ease while Gambit screamed hoarsely. Like hell they were taking him to do what they'd done to her.

"Rogue,_ don'-"_

She screamed, cursing, scratching the researchers as she reached for him. _"REMY,_" She shouted, tearing the man's heart in two. "Remy, _no!_" She knew. She knew what laid in store for him. They had spent almost two weeks straight torturing her. Cutting her. Forcing her to absorb. Trying to find her breaking point. Getting skin samples, hair samples, blood samples. Their hands all over her body. He couldn't go through that, too.

It was better to be left in the cage. Always better. He watched her, weak and exhausted. No powers, and still fighting them. Fighting for _him_. _'S-She remembers...'_ He thought solemnly. He hadn't helped her so she'd owe him. If that'd been his plan, he'd failed. The girl was unconscious, on death's door. She'd never know how he'd cradled her, used his warmth to keep her there. She saw him as an ally, a friend. But she didn't know he'd sat vigil for her, guarded her from the Grim Reaper. The connection they secretly shared.

She reached for him, tears in her eyes. "Remy,_ find me!_" She begged. They couldn't just take him away, not now.

"You remember," He said in disbelief. "When dey brought ya here..." He flinched as they slammed her against the wall. _'Damn dem.'_

"Only since Ah woke up, Remy don't let them-" They dragged him away, out of her sight_. 'She don' even remember... And she fought like that to try to help me...'_ He felt an unidentifiable feeling swirl in his gut. He had found her prickly, but interesting before. But now he found that she grew on him, like a mold or a spore. It sounded unpleasant, but it couldn't be further from the truth.

_'I'll find you,'_ He thought as they led him to a bright, white room.


	3. Chapter 3

He didn't have to search for her. They returned him to their cell in much the same condition he'd found Rogue. Unresponsive. It felt like the girl's heart had been plunged in ice water. _'What did they do, oh no... Oh no. He's dead...'_ She thought, bristling the way only Logan could teach her how. They dropped him without a care as they did her, and disappeared. When they disappeared she scrambled to his side.

She took advantage of that collar now, touching his face with the hand she'd lost the glove for. He was clammy. Cool to the touch. Mobbed with sweat. _'Who knows what they did to him.'_ She lamented, going glassy eyed when she remembered the things they did to her. Stuck inside her. Cut from her. She slips out of his jacket, her joints cracking. It was her turn to take care of him.

She draped it over him as he shivered. They'd returned him shirtless, bandages covering his midsection. She could imagine what they did to him or had him do. Upon further inspection, she saw his hands were bandaged as well._ 'Seems like they made him fight.'_ She thought somberly, dragging her bare fingers over his face. "Hang in there, damn it." She drawled. "Don't leave _me_ here." She pulled him close when he shook again.

She frowned when he made a sickening noise, like there was something keeping him from breathing properly. In an instant, all of Scott and Logan's first aid training came to the forefront of her mind. She flipped him to his side immediately, bracing his head as he began to vomit. She rubbed his back soothingly, comfort coming easily to her as he wretched.

She had been endlessly nauseated since she found herself in the lab, throwing up what she could manage to eat for some time. She was no longer squeamish or disgusted by bodily fluids. Blood. Urine. Vomit. She'd been through it all there. They didn't phase her anymore. When the vomiting wouldn't cease, she began to worry. "Ah _god,_ Remy. What'd they do to you." She kept his surprisingly long hair from his eyes and his moist forehead.

"It's okay, it's almost over. Ah'm, Ah'm right here..." She told him, one of her hands absent-mindedly locked in his slack on. What was it about humans that made cling to each other in times of adversity? Regardless of how much that went against the grain of their nature. She didn't know, nor did she care. Not while they were still stuck there.

The throwing up and shaking slowly ceased, the man laying in her lap. Even incapacitated, he looked so strong. Broad. Handsome, even with his hair a mess and needing a shower because he was sweat soaked. And a shave... She dragged a hand across his face, marveling at his features. What were the odds they end up in the same facility? Let alone, the same cell. This had to be happening for a reason.

'_We didn't come here to both die.'_ She thought, feeling herself fill with a new resolve. She wouldn't die, and neither would he. Not on her watch. She kept him warm with his trench coat and what little body heat she had to offer. She wondered about Logan, Kurt, and Kitty. Everyone. And what they were up to, if they missed her as much as she missed them. She'd never tease them again, she'd even stop complaining about Jean.

If she could just make it out.

When the nurses and researches dumped water on Remy just to laugh at his reaction, to make him sicker, she promised it would be _her_ who destroyed this godforsaken place.

* * *

He woke up to her singing. Humming sweetly while she rubbed the man's head with slender fingers. _'W-Wha...'_ He looked up, his eyes caught on the the silvery strands of her hair. If he felt better, he would've reached out and touched them, played with them like a cat. He would have to settle for a smile. He was alive, and he was certain he had the X-Men member to thank for that. He tried to sit up but his ab muscles didn't cooperate.

"Ah wouldn't try, ya haven't eaten much." He gave her a lopsided grin, marveling at her face without makeup. "Ah couldn't feed ya, but Ah remembered to get ya some water." When his arm worked, he reached up and grazed the tips of her face with his fingers. She clapped her hand over his, an unreadable expression in her eyes. He'd never seen her so _glad_ to see him, not even when she woke up.

_"Chére..."_ He croaked, memorizing the moments of his skin on hers.

"Welcome back, _sugah_." She had never sounded more from Caldecott in her life. He chuckled and it turned into a cough. He watched as her hand flew to his chest and began to rub in a comforting motion. "You've had a cough, lately." She mumbled as though she were embarrassed. They were way past embarrassment, now. They were getting to know each other inside in out.

"Ya takin' care of me..." He murmured softly.

"Kinda didn't have a choice." He stared up at her for a long moment._ 'Remy didn't t'ink ya make it through the night few days ago...'_ He remembered somberly. He was glad to see she was well enough give him attitude. It didn't suit her not to be sassy.

"Forgive_ moi_," He placed a hand on his chest and shut his eyes. To his surprise, she laughed. They were trapped together, in some sort of mutant internment camp, and she was laughing. Weirder still, he joined in. They were both going nutty, that was certain. He began to realize that as long as they had each other, they would be alright. They had to be. They were still kicking.

But then the doctors came for Rogue. Rogue began to wonder if Remy had been acting sick, waiting for the right moment to ambush their captors. That was false. Even _he_ did not know how he moved, he panicked when they tugged her harshly out the cell. What if something happened to her? What if she died on their operating table? What if the X-Men rescued her (he decided he could live with that, even if he was left behind)? What if they changed her cell?

They were too many thoughts, the only way he'd make it through this was with her. "ROG-" The biggest of the doctors slammed him into the wall and punched him in the ribs. The air hissed painfully out of his lungs.

"REMY," She screamed, fighting with all her tiny might.

"Ah'll_ find ya_, Rogue!" He screamed after. "No matter_ what_!"

But she found him.


	4. Chapter 4

Most days started the same. Jean would wake. Brush her teeth. Comb her hair. Go to Cerebro and see if they could find any trace of Rogue. She'd been missing for over two weeks, and she was fearing the professor's exhaustion. Logan was riding to the border and back, tracing her scent until he lost it every time. Then he returned home and paced. Paced relentlessly, using his healing factor to stay awake.

But this day was different. The powerful machine smoked instantly. Jean powered it off, but the damage was done. It sizzled, smoke filling the room. _'What just set it off-'_

_'Jean? Jean, is that you?' _It was Rogue's voice.

_'Oh my god. Professor, Logan.'_

_'Red?'_

_'Yes, Jean?'_

_'Rogue just contacted me... Telepathically.'_

_'I''ll assemble the team.'_

* * *

Remy woke with a start as he heard alarms blaring. Every now and then, this happened. A mutant would lose it, have enough, and risk death for freedom. He wasn't sure what happened to the ones that tried. He could only assume nothing good. It'd been two days since they'd taken Rogue from his cell. He prayed every morning and every night that she was just put somewhere else, not being endlessly tested on.

He shivered, thinking about how bad off she was when they first brought her. Remy was still recovering himself from whatever they did. All he could remember was the scientists overloading his powers. His hands were raw, clearly burned under the bandages. And he had no memory of his stomach wound, what it could be from. Nothing._ 'Girl can' take much more of a beatin'.'_ He thought, thinking about her in concern. He was half dead, but she was all he could think about, how much worse this would be if she didn't survive.

He sighed, trying to keep his mind from a dark place. Even as the alarm blared. But soon, he heard the sound of metal crunching. Groaning. Being ripped apart. Crashes, slams. Yelling. Remy stood, craning his neck to try to see what the commotion was about. He heard the soldiers screaming, the sound of concrete shattering. _'What de hell..._' He imagined the X-Men.

Remy knew nobody was looking for him, not in bumfuck, Canada. But they had to have been raising hell over_ Rogue_. They wasted no time retrieving her from her vacation in New Orleans. They finally got it right. His face sobered as he thought of the stripe haired girl. _'Remy hope it wasn' too late.'_ He heard a spray of bullets but it didn't seem to hamper the anarchy happening outside his cell.

But he almost let out a scream himself when she appeared, hovering in the air. Her eyes wild. Her hair was a wavy mess, trailing past her shoulders without maintenance. And her eyes were greener than he'd ever seen. All of the cells behind her were ripped open. He didn't see soldiers or researchers trying to stop her anymore. With wonder, he accepts her hand and lets her pull him to a stand. He didn't do_ any_ of the work. She had lifted the dead weight of man with no effort.

_'What dey do to ya?!'_

"C'mon, we gotta go. Ah think the X-Men are here!" She exclaimed, her feet still raised off the ground. Without another word, Remy was hoisted into the air like a sack of potatoes. As if it took no effort at all, Rogue carried them both through the sky. She held an arm over Remy's face. "Hang on!" For some reason, she just knew she could do this. They busted through the fortified walls like paper.

His mouth hung open as he stared up at Rogue. He didn't have the heart to ask, and he was sure it was terrible, but she was amazing. She had single-handedly liberated the entire fortress. Single-handedly rescued_ him_. She was right about the X-Men hunch, they had just touched down on the Island of Muir after her frantic communication.

It was as they had thought. When the scientists got to the 'absorbing' phase, they would be able to track her. But her mutant signature had fried the machine completely. The psychic's face frowned as she thought._ 'Just what were they doing to her, how was she able to telepathically teach me? Rogue...'_ There were no good answers. She tried to smile at Scott as they filed off the X-Jet, Logan first.

"Rogue-" They couldn't believe what the were seeing. She was floating, hovering in the sky. Remy in her arms like a bag of laundry. The experimenting had been more extensive than they realized. It didn't seem like those powers would be fading away soon. The team watched in silence as Remy stared up at Rogue. Mutants clambered screaming and crying behind them, pouring out of the holes she busted through the walls.

The earth shook, researchers stumbling as they tried wrangling the escaping subjects. Even Logan was speechless as he stared at them._ They_ had expected to do the breaking.

As soon as she saw them, she crashed from the sky in heap on Remy. She didn't move.

_"Rogue,_" Remy croaked, trying to crawl from under her to see. He heard yelling, and then felt himself ripped away from her.

"Somebody,_ do_ something!" He heard a squeaky voice yell.

"Stripes,_ Stripes_ we're here, now. We gotcha. "

"Stay calm, everyone. This is why we train first aid." A level, but worried voice floated above.

"_Ich schwöre, ich werde sie finden."_ A German rang out sharply.

"We gotta get her back to Hank, then everything will be okay." Came a voice, forcing authority but convincing himself. "But what about_ him?_"

A sigh. "Not _now,_ Scott. He's about to pass out. Let's get them in the jet." He tried to keep his eyes open, to see Rogue. But it was just too hard. Everything went black.


	5. Chapter 5

All he saw was darkness. And all he heard were disembodied voices.

"...They forced her to absorb at least twenty individuals at once, more than she's ever..." A sigh, a choked sob. Remy's brow furrowed, even unconscious. "That's how we were able to pin point her location." A frustrated sigh, a growl.

"So, what's wrong with her, I mean..." Another sigh.

"The last of those subject appears to have put up a fight. The truth is locked in Rogue's mind, and we can only know it when she volunteers it." A beat of silence. _'Dey made her hang on to someone too long...'_

"But-"

"We cannot force her on this." That sounded to the cajun like the bald telepath. "We need to let her try to _heal_, and at her own pace." A chorus of sighs. "I believe with time, she will come to us when she's ready." They all certainly hoped so.

"And... What about him?" Now, Remy felt the eyes on his comatose body.

"What about him?"

_"Logan,_" Someone chastised, a nice woman.

"I want to offer him a sanctuary here, as he has no doubt been through something as traumatic as Rogue." He heard someone scoff. _'Hey,'_ He thought, hurt. "But, I am worried about him triggering her. There's no way we can imagine what she... What _they've_ been through. It could be far better or way worse than what we can imagine." Remy heard the sound of metal, like a sword or knife.

"It's okay, Logan. Put those away." He seemed to obey. "We've got to do _something_ with him..."

"Remy still alive, y'all know..." He mumbled, his eyes shut. He coughed as the girl in his company gasped. He opened his eyes to see the Wolverine, Professor Xavier, and the red haired woman.

"You're awake!" She seems glad, the professor surprised. The other one, Remy can't read his expression.

"You two,_ out._" The telepaths huffed.

"Logan-"

"I need to talk to _Mardis Gras_ over here. Man to man." Logan began cracking his knuckles menacingly. Remy couldn't believe when they edged towards the door.

"W-Wait a damn min-"

"You'll be fine, Remy." The pretty girl insisted.

"It will make him feel better. We won't let you come to harm." Logan smirked as they left the infirmary.

"Okay. Spill." He leaned in close to Remy, sniffing to detect any lie. "Tell me what happened, and whether or not you had _any_ involvement." Remy was silent for a long moment, even in the condition he was found he managed to be suspicious. He was muttering french under his breath, but Logan didn't bother to listen to that. _"Now."_

"Do it _look_ like Remy was in on this? Look at'im!" He cried, finally getting frustrated. "I was captured by freaks experimenting on mutants. Jus' like y'all girl." Logan sniffed. He had no reason not to believe him. Remy began to look hurt, making the older man confused. "Remy not always honest, but you.. Ya think, Ah'd..." He struggled to find the words. "Remy know he took her, he sorry. _Especially_ now, but... What happen to us," He cut himself off.

Fear grabbed a hold of Logan's chest. "What happened." He pressed, the look on his face shattering into a million pieces. Now, Remy looked like a dog who'd gotten into the trash. He didn't even know the extent of what they did to her, just that it brought her near death multiple times. _"Gambit."_

"She, Ah... Remy dunno... It all..." He answered reluctantly, like he was breaking some unspoken pact not to recount what had happened to them. He wasn't sure how long he'd been down, but if she'd wanted to tell them she would have. "When she got to my cell, Ah... Ah thought-"

"You thought_ what?_" If there was one thing Logan couldn't tolerate, it was beating around the bush.

"Ah thought she was dead." He felt pinned beneath the following silence. He watched the man's heart shatter into a million pieces, then reshape to be strong enough to help her. "Dat was before... Before whatever made her..."

"Fly." Logan finished, his voice close to breaking. Suddenly, the 'I'm okay's', the "No, I'm fine", the 'Nothing's' all made too much sense. Everything happened. To both of them. Rogue was carrying near death experiences, thinking the boy would die, she'd never see any of them again. Her powers that won't go away. All of it. She didn't want to deal with it. She didn't want any of it to be real.

"Is _petite_ gonna be okay?" Logan frowned. His head said "I don't know", but his heart said she would be. With time.

"She will be." He answered. He could only imagine that Gambit had looked after her and done what he could to help her. She had asked for him a lot the past couple of days. He looked out the window where she sat in the grass with Kitty and Hank. His chest ached. _'I sure hope so.'_


	6. Chapter 6

Rogue sat in the grass quietly with her adoptive sibling. She'd been few of words since she'd broken out of the research lab. That didn't worry her brother, he had also seen her be more at peace than he'd ever seen her since she came to the school. She had a new found reverence for life, for_ peace_. At least, that's what he thought. She refused to talk about what she'd experienced when she was taken. Logan and Scott's attempts made her shoot to the sky for hours, not coming back down until Kurt coaxed her by nightfall. It was the only time she used those mysterious powers.

He accepted her silence, he was one of the few who did. He knew if and when she was ready to talk, she knew they would be there. He was just thankful, to god and heaven, that he had his sister back. No matter how quiet or peculiar she was. Remy watched through the piano room's window, fully healed after a few days. He'd wanted nothing more than to run into Rogue's arms. To hold her, continue protecting her even though they were _safe_, now. They had been for a week.

"She hasn't spoken a word about the encounter, even if_ you_ have." Charles said solemnly, his brow furrowed in thought about his student. Logan stood silent in the corner of the room. He was as still as a statue, just listening. "She won't fly or use her new abilities, either. Not unless-"

"I chase her into flying." Logan grumbled, breaking his silence. Remy sighed_. 'Remy has no idea what dey did to petite. Jus' dat it was bad.' _

"Maybe Remy kin _talk_ t'her." His stare hardened. "Remy understand, after all..." Logan shifted uncomfortably. He was worried about pressing her too hard and making her run. The professor adjusted himself in his seat.

"Remy, I want to formally invite you to stay with us, long term." Both Logan and the cajun baulked at the same time. "But, until she is ready... I must ask that you give Rogue her space." His face was apologetic, he knew how hard it'd been to give her space already. Remy's mouth dropped, but no words came out.

"Gotta let her work it out." Logan added. He didn't like it much either, but he didn't want to be looking for her all over the country. She could fly fast, and far. He wouldn't be pleased if she slipped them in her fragile state. Remy pressed his mouth together. It didn't feel like what he should do, but he had to respect their wishes. He smiled uneasily.

"Sho'," He offered awkwardly. 'What Remy gon' do in dis place if he have to stay away from her.' He sighed. He would make it work, for a little while. He couldn't fight the compulsion to watch over her.

* * *

"If you stay here, you're gonna be training in the Danger Room." Remy muttered, mocking Scott's voice. He caught a snicker from Kitty and Kurt, but the X-Men's leader didn't seem to hear him. It'd been another week since he'd agreed to try the institute out. It was going okay, where he was didn't matter. He just wanted to be near Rogue.

She was so strong, so composed, so together. She looked straight through him, taking care to avoid the New Orleans native at all costs. She walked tall, like the scientists didn't nearly break her. Nearly_ kill_ her. But she didn't fly. She didn't use those powers that busted them to freedom. To her teammates. Logan snapped, the man's stare lingering on Rogue a little too long. Her fists were clenched tight and her face beat red.

She had on one plain, black X-Suit. It was more fitting than her other uniform, somehow. That one had been destroyed in Canada. So was the old Rogue. Remy dragged his eyes to his own, yellow and blue New Recruit suit. He hated the colors, he felt five years younger in it compared to everyone else's X-Suits. He refused to remove his trench coat, his last grasp at individuality.

Scott looked out at his team members, his face set hard. "We're going to do a sentinel drill today." He announced loudly. Logan smirked behind him.

"I designed it." Remy jumped when everyone began to groan. He swallowed hard. '_Piece o'cake..._' He thought with a sneer.

Jean elbowed Scott in the ribs and he frowned, turning towards Rogue. She'd been attending the drills but not participating. Not using any of her powers. "Feel free to join us, Rogue. If you're _comfortable_." He tried to smile but it failed. Rogue only blinked. Jean nudged him again and he continued. "But it's okay if you're not ready." He crossed his arms absent-mindedly.

"Start simulation," Logan called. "If ya get a bad time, we're just doing it again." Rogue watched with Ororo from the observation deck. Remy was shocked as the whole room faded from a gym to a crumbling city. Fires and smoke raged everywhere. Innocent people fleeing through the streets. He grabbed his staff in awe, following lamely after the team as they sprang into action.

The short one, Shadowcat, she grabbed him as missiles flew in their directions._ 'Are these real robots?'_ He thought, suddenly confused about what a Danger Room was.

"Jean, side formation!" Scott called towards the sky. "_Gambit_, back me up!" Remy looked around, lasers flying. People teleporting. He had no idea what was going on. 'He did dis on purpose to make me look a fool.' He realized, his eyes narrowing. Really on brand for Scott. He huffed, searching for him by following his voice.

"Look_ out!_" Kurt shouted.

"Remy!" Jean called. But it was too late. Whatever the Danger Room was, you_ did_ feel it. It could send you flying across the room. He smacked into a building, hard. Fireworks erupted into his vision as he shook his head. The ground shook as he heard muffled voices, all screaming around him.

"Gumbo! Scott, _no_ leavin' him behind!" Logan's surprisingly angry voice was heard.

"Ugh, I _knew_ this coarse was too advanced, Scott." He heard Jean nag. He stumbled to his feet, looking around in confusion. The sentinel was flying for him. He threw his staff in front of himself as a last minute effort to defend himself. But the machine never connected. In a flash, like a bullet, Rogue zipped in front of Gambit and intercepted the robot like it was nothing.

She wooshed by him, the scent of magnolias following. The X-Men stood, speechless, as she tossed the sentinel over her head with one hand. Remy watched with his mouth hanging open. _'S-She jus'...'_ She was way stronger than he'd ever anticipated. Scott and Logan approached her slowly.

"End simulation." Logan said, scratching the back of his neck. "Uh...Nice?"

"Y'jus' used those powers,_ petite._" Remy said, his grin hanging off the side of his mouth. Without missing a beat, she folded her arms a scowled, a face she hadn't made in a long time.

_"So?"_


	7. Chapter 7

"Remy?"

His eyes fluttered open and he found himself nose to nose with the stripe haired mutant. Strands of silver hair tickled his chin. He felt his cheeks go red but he grinned_. "Bonjour,"_ She squirmed in discomfort.

"You were havin' a bad dream, Ah _think._.." His smile faltered, how embarrassing. His time in the research lab dominated his dreams, if he even got to sleep. He had laid down on a couch after a Danger Room session and passed out. He thought about brushing it off but he knew she knew, so there was no point. He heard her scream at night, Logan and Hank thundering down the hall to calm her.

Saw her on the roof at 5am when he snuck away to smoke. The unused sleep aids prescribed to her. It wasn't nothing for either of them. "S'pose I was." He sat up and leaned his elbows on his knees. "What happens dese days when Remy sleep, don' worry ya pretty lil head about it,_ fille_." Rogue frowned, she wasn't satisfied by the explanation. She surprised them both by sitting with him.

"What... What were ya dreamin' about?" He felt his chest tighten, suddenly mortified that he was still in his New Recruit suit. He had dreamt he was still endlessly trapped in the lab, Rogue was taken and never returned. He never got out, he never found out what happened to her. He dropped his stare and didn't say anything. Rogue sighed and tried again. "Y-You... You were sayin' _my name... Marie_." She was beet red now, not looking at the cajun.

_Rogue had gotten lethargic. Her appetite was waning, and she was growing weak. Her behavior was increasingly alarming Remy because he was powerless to help her. He knew she wasn't brought to his cell so he could watch her die, he refused. She began sleeping more and more before he was taken for his tests. The more she slept, the more convinced that she was not fine. And without proper treatment, she'd die._

_He grew fearful when she complained of a numbness and the cold. "Gambit?" She was curled in the fetal position on his lap, his jacket covering them. 'She talkin',' He thought. 'Good.'_

_"S'wrong, chére?" She shivered against him and he leaned closer. 'She's so cold,' He thought with concern._

_"M-My... My name's Marie." He looked down at her in surprise. She'd never even given him a hint at her truth name. "A-Anna Marie..." _

_"Stop it." He snapped, angry that she chose to open up now. When he'd never be able to learn more, right at the bitter end. "Don' make no dyin' declarations to Remy now. Ya ass gotta live, tell me later." No answer. He shook her as his breaths quickened. "Rogue-" _

_"Ah jus'... Ah jus wanted you to know..." She began to shake again, but this time out of fear. He held her tighter. "In case we don' make it out of he-" _

_"It's a pretty name." He cut in, unable to think of the whole alternate life they both could've lived if they weren't imprisoned. "Fits ya." _

_"Thank you." _

He looked into her genuinely curious, grey eyes. "Dat dey never brought ya back to my cell." He clenched his jaw. "Remy was still there. Never saw y-"

_"We'll never be back in that place."_ Her voice was shaking, but it was firm. He looked down to see her gloved hand curled over his own. "I promise." She whispered. He nodded, finding silence say more than any words he could think of.

_'Thank you...'_ He thought. She had given him a reason to fight. To dream.


	8. Chapter 8

"Where ya goin',_ chére?"_ She froze in the dark, annoyed she'd been spotted despite hovering slowly and silently through the mansion. The Adidas duffel bag hung sideways off her shoulder. Remy knew exactly what she was doing, Rogue was running. She stood in the dark in a black X-Suit, a large, Green shirt and an oversized, olive jacket.

Her hair was wavy, a bit disheveled in her rush. She stood as her eyes slowly adjusted in the dark. As she saw his red irises, she wondered if he saw better than she did in the dark. _"Ah,_" He slithered closer, and she was paralyzed. It was an unholy hour, she hadn't planned for running into anybody. Even Wolverine slept as the sky turned pale yellow and purple. But Gambit was awake.

"Why ya runnin'?" He asked softly, his brow furrowed. "Ya _home."_ He reached for her but she jerked away, her bag jostling._ 'Shit,'_ She thought. It was more than enough for Logan to hear. Her heart slammed in her chest as she looked at Remy.

"Gotta go," She stuttered, panicking. He grabbed her wrist before she flew away, staring at her beneath shaggy hair.

"Rogue, _talk_ t'me." She didn't know why, but the man's voice made her want to talk.

"Ah can't be an X-Man anymore-" He drew himself closer, his face locked in a frown.

_"Neva,"_ He whispered to her. "Das not true-"

"Ah_ killed_." The statement finally drives him to silence. He tries not to give away too much with a look, that maybe he's _killed,_ too. Would kill for her.

"What dey made ya do ain' killin', _chére_." He told her somberly. He had pieced together what had happened in his head. Something went wrong with one of the absorption trials. The permanence of her powers proved that. "Remy knows ya feel guilty, but it ain' ya fault." He slowly, as though she were game that might dart away if he moves too sudden, he wrapped his arms around her as she stifled a sob. "It's okay, _petite_. Remy here."

Somehow, with just a hug, Remy had assuaged all of her fears. Just like in the compound, he could convince her that everything would be okay.

"What's goin-" The bag dropped from Rogue's shoulder in surprise as Logan flicked a light on. His face turned deep red as he stood, shirtless and waiting for an explanation. Remy looked between them sheepishly.

"Ah, Wolverine._ Bon_-" He winced when he revealed his claws.

_"Gambit-"_

"Relax, Logan. Ah was.. Ah was leaving'." An unreadable emotion filled Logan's eyes as he looked at the duffel on the floor. "He was talkin' me out of it, _actually._" She gave the cajun a shy smile he could help but dopily return. A growl vibrated in Logan's throat.

"Gumbo, bed." He pointed a claw to the hallway. Then, he pointed it at Rogue._ "You_, you're comin' with me." He eyed her, trying to keep the anxiety off his face. "I'm makin' coffee, smokin' a cigarette, and _we're_ gonna talk." His voice was firm, but not threatening. He needed to know what had the girl so spooked or guilty she would flee in the night.

He knew it had something to do with those powers she'd been guilting herself over. It was time to face it. With little more than a sigh, she grabbed her bag and followed after him. In the dark, unable to seen by anyone but Logan, Remy stood in the hallway and watched them go.


	9. Chapter 9

It was like a ritual. The whole institute was familiar with it, and especially the X-Men. No matter how minute, catastrophic, or potentially dangerous a mission was, Jean and Scott always made it to each others arms before the elevators. They would gaze at each other, sometimes without breaking a sweat, others covered in soot and their uniforms torn. But they would meet, lean their forehead on each others, and just hold each others faces.

And be thankful. So glad that made it back to each other, relatively unharmed. They would grin, stupidly, no matter how lame it looked or how much others joked. They'd made it, made it another day. They didn't care how goofy it sounded, tomorrow for _them_, was never promised.

It had been Rogue's first mission back. First mission since the labs. Though she looked calm, even cold. Stone-faced. She was terrified. Terrified she would choke. Or accidentally hurt someone with the strength of a galactic champion in her hands. But she did great. She carried the team like a giant gust of wind. She was stronger than them all combined, besides maybe Jean.

Rogue had stopped a train and lifted one over her head to save civilians. When they boarded the X-Jet back, Logan told her good job, and they all knew how hard those were to come by. Scott, even Jean lended her praise. When the jet docked in the hangar, Rogue hovered past everyone. There was an uncharacteristically cheery, dopey grin on her face.

Remy was waiting for her, shrouded in his trench coat. He was grinning, too. Before Jean and Scott could even react, the two flew into each others arms. Remy leaned his forehead to the other southerner, his black skin suit protecting their flesh from meeting. And for a moment, without a word passing between the two, they just gazed into each others eyes.

Rogue traced her fingers across the black fabric, unafraid of the cajun's unconventional eyes.

"Y'back." He breathed, watching as her cheeks burned red.

"Y'waited." She responded, forgetting that her team was standing around, watching. Their mouths agape, cheeks red.

"Told'ja I would." He moved a hand up to Rogue's tousled hair. Logan growled, and then Scott chose to speak.

"H_-Hey,_" Rogue giggled, finally pulling apart from the thief before disappearing together down the corridor, not even sparing a look back. Because for a for a minute, they'd been the only two there. At least, the only two they could see.

Jean placed her hands on her hips, an amused smirk on her face. "That's_ our_ thing."


End file.
